Monday, June 27, 2011

Does this bother you?

"The Lord said to Samuel, listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them...Now then, listen to their voice; however you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them"...Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, "No, but there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles." The Lord said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice and appoint them a king.""

Taken from 1 Samuel 8:7-22

Whoa, does this not bother you? Look at this again... God gave them something they asked for, even though it was not in their best interests.

God willingly gave the Israelites a king. He knowingly gave them what they asked for, even though it wasn't the best. God allowed the Israelites to have a king because it was within His permissive will. In His sovereignty, God allows evil deeds we commit to accomplish His purposes. God permits sin and evil; He cannot commit evil, nor does he effect it.

We know from 1 John 4:8 that God is love. We also know from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 that love does not insist. Therefore, one can conclude God is love, and love does not insist. God knows what's best, and He will not be insistent. He will use our evil deeds for His glorification. That means, when we continually ask for something, He may choose to give it to us, even though it is not in our best interests.

Sometimes when I pray, I pray insistently for things, that never happen. Why does God "give in" to some requests and not to others?

I leave you with a great hymn and couple final thoughts.

What are you asking God for, and how do you perceive or intend Him to use what you desire, for His glorification?

Can you think of something that you asked for, that God chose to give you, even though it was not in your best interests?

Take My Life and Let it Be, by Frances Havergal, February 1874

Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.

2 comments:

I remember getting a flat tire in the parking lot at Sher and Arnie's wedding. I prayed for no car trouble and if I must have a flat tire let it be after I delivered the ice cream wedding cake to the reception hall freezer. Yep, at 10:30 pm, in the dark and in the rain, your Dad and Uncle Mike changed my flat tire!!!!!!!!!!God kept the air in my tire during that hot August day while transporting that wonderful ice cream wedding cake!Uncle Bert told me I should have prayed for NO flat tires!God has great a sense of humor.